Software Marketing Resource Articles: Pay-As-You-Go or WebWare

You wrote the code, now how do you sell it?

Wednesday, June 2, 2004

I recently read an article that gave accolades to software developers who have moved to the pay-as-you-go model also known as webware. While webware might work in some very specific situations it has significant drawbacks, ones that consumers do not fail to see. When a customer either a consumer or business utilizes software on a rental or subscription basis they

So using your service is going to cut down on viruses and worms? How is that possible?

Doesn't being connected to the internet all the time *increase* the odds of getting a virus or a worm?

Are your users tired of Window' instability? Do they have to switch operating systems to use your software? You solution doesn't seem to alter anyone's need to have a stable Windows platform, unless you want them to also change operating systems? So your solution is that they have to invisibly upgrade and pay for those upgrades every month? You can continue to believe that shareware is forever. You are once again confusing a simple marketing method with a type of product. If you look at how shareware (a marketing method) worked 10 years ago and compare that to now, you will clearly see there is virtually no relationship between how that marketing method worked then compared to now. That's because the shareware marketing method has changed over time. All "shareware marketing" does is sell software. If you believe that no one will be selling software shortly, let me know.